


We Meet Again

by ClexaPaily



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Alternate Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Clexa, F/F, Fluff and Angst, Lesbian, Lesbian Sex, Love Confessions, Making Love, Making Out, Protective Lexa, Reunion, Sexual Content, flustered clarke, gallant Lexa, some humor too
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-02-02
Updated: 2016-09-08
Packaged: 2018-05-17 22:24:08
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,084
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5887591
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ClexaPaily/pseuds/ClexaPaily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>This is an alternate version of the Clexa reunion starting with 3x02. Rated E for sexytimes in upcoming chapters. No freakout or spitting-on, also no berry-stained dreads. Just the Clexa you want: love, some angst, but without all that pesky rage.</p><p>This is the more rational Clarke we know and love, and she's only been out in the wilderness for weeks instead of months.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Throne Room

Clarke approached Lexa's chamber with trepidation, heart pounding. The guards on duty had recognized Clarke from the battle of the Mountain and let her into Polis. Though not exactly welcoming her, at least they opened the gates with no hesitation. She could almost swear they had been expecting her, though she had no idea how they could. Weeks had passed since she left Camp Jaha, distraught and without a definite plan. She had wandered aimlessly, slept under bushes, in the shelter of hollow logs, even spent a few days in a bunker where she found a knife, a solar lantern, and a few meager supplies.

_I must look like hell and smell even worse. Great time to make a play for the Commander._

Lexa’s personal guard snapped Clarke out of her reverie. “Heda will see you now.”

Clarke’s heart hammered in her chest, and her stomach writhed with sudden nerves as she stepped over the threshold. Lexa sat planted on her throne, just as Clarke had seen her the first time they met, eyes impassive. The other woman waited for her to speak, meeting Clarke’s gaze without challenge but unreadable, unflinching as always.

Clarke had imagined the forest hue of Lexa’s eyes again and again over the preceding days, but her memory didn’t compare to the glittering green that the mix of candlelight and the slant of a late afternoon sun lent them now. Feeling exposed under the Commander’s unbroken gaze, heat rose in Clarke cheeks, though she did her best to will it away. The room grew warm, too warm considering the breeze through the wide door that opened onto a balcony.

Clarke cleared her throat softly and dropped her makeshift pack on the floor. “Lexa, thanks for taking the time to see me.”

“Why wouldn’t I, Clarke?” _Klark_ , with a lush l and a hard final k, as though the Commander’s tongue caressed the word as she said it. She had forgotten how it sounded coming from the warrior. Lexa’s gaze continued to meet Clarke’s directly, unwavering, perhaps a little wary.

“Because I should be angry with you. I could've come here to kill you, for all you know.”

Lexa smirked. “That would be unwise for many reasons.” Her face softened, almost imperceptibly. “But I refuse to believe you came here to kill me.”

“No, I didn't. I’ve had time to think things through. I’ve been wandering the woods since the Mountain.”

“I know. My scouts have tracked your movements.”

“What? Why?”

“To keep you safe. To check on you. The forest is dangerous for one who is unskilled in how to navigate it.”

“Unskilled? Hey, now.” But of course Lexa was right. Clarke had a near miss with a panther, barely making it back to the bunker intact. She had nearly fallen into a ravine at one point. One twisted ankle away from being pauna bait. Not exactly the world’s greatest grounder.

“So you wish to speak to me.” Lexa shifted on her throne, leaning back with her hands folded on her chest, still meeting Clarke’s gaze. “Why? I assumed you would still be angry.”

“I am. I mean I was.” Clarke cleared her throat nervously, hyper-aware of Lexa’s eyes on her. “I thought a lot about what you said about us both being born leaders. You did what you had to do, what I would have done if the tables were turned. It felt like a betrayal, and it was. But I can’t fault you in the end.” She glanced at the Commander. “The alliance is another matter. I have no idea if we can repair it.”

“So why are you here now? To talk about how we can rebuild the alliance?” Lexa’s eyes continued their scrutiny, and Clarke’s rapid heartbeat had slowed only a little, her stomach still twisting.

“No. Well, yes. Maybe.” Clarked peered down at the ground, idly kicking at the floor in an attempt to gather herself. She took a deep breath. “I came here because I wanted to see you.”

“I know you wanted to see me or you would not have asked to see me.” Lexa raised her eyebrows subtly, inquisitively, the faintest hint of a smile at the corners of her lips. Was the Commander making a joke?

“Of course you wouldn’t make this easy.” Clarke exhaled heavily. “I forgive you for what you did, okay? I get why you did it. I can’t say what my people think about it, but I get it.”

“Thank you, Clarke, but my actions were for my people. I do not need forgiveness for making the right decision.” 

Clarke barely suppressed an eye roll and folded her arms across her chest. “Right. Of course you don’t. Forgiveness is weakness, some sky people nonsense, I suppose.” Lexa looked amused. Almost. 

“So you came here to forgive me?”

“Yes, sort of.” Clarke unzipped her jacket. _Why is it so warm in here? Why is she making this so difficult?_ “Uh, I came here because well… uh… There was a lot left unsaid between us before the battle.”

“Like what?” Lexa stood up slowly, deliberately, and strode over to a heavy table, half leaning against it, half sitting, her arms crossed and mirroring Clarke’s.

Clarke’s eyes followed the Commander. Lexa wore partial armor and her long battle coat, but no war paint. “You’re going to make me say it, aren’t you?” Clarke had begun to sweat under her jacket. She took it off and let it fall next to her pack.

“Make you say what, Clarke?” Lexa dropped her hands and propped them on either side of her hips. Was it the hint of a smile or a smirk? Clarke couldn’t tell. She was doing this on purpose to fluster Clarke. It was working.

The blonde took another deep breath to steel herself, but her legs moved seemingly of their own accord. Clarke faced Lexa directly as the Commander leaned against the table. She remembered the effect she had had on Lexa the last time they stood like this. Her nerves eased a little. She moved closer. Into Lexa’s space, into the magnetic pull of her orbit. Clarke met the taller girl’s eyes.

“I can’t stay away from you.” She nearly whispered. “I was so angry, but I couldn’t stop thinking about..." _The kiss._ "About how I felt standing by your side going into battle. I’ve never belonged anywhere before I met you. Never had that kind of purpose.” A lump formed in her throat but swallowed it down. “I know I said I wasn’t ready. And maybe I wasn’t. I don’t know. But I know I need you.”

Lexa exhaled visibly. Had she been holding her breath out of suspense? “Need, or want?” Her eyes flickered to Clarke’s lips. And to her breasts? The blood rose in Clarke’s cheeks again, and her head began to swim. Lexa stood up and closed part of the distance between them.

Clarke dared to lock eyes with her and felt a shiver cross her whole body. “Both.”

Lexa reached a hand around her waist, and Clarke collapsed onto the warrior, seeking her lips. The sky girl sighed involuntarily in relief when they finally made contact. The faintest “oh” escaped her when Lexa’s other hand brushed her neck, reaching behind her head to bring the blonde in closer. She grazed Lexa’s lower lip with her teeth, grasping and sucking at it with her own. Her breath rasped as she broke contact to look into those green eyes again for a second, as if to confirm that this was, indeed, really happening.

She took the warrior’s face between her two hands and dove back in for another kiss. Clarke felt a deep thirst that could only be quenched by the Commander’s lush, full lips. The world closed in around them, and nothing existed except the aching need that kept pushing their bodies together, now impossibly flush against each other. Lexa’s thigh found its way between Clarke’s legs, providing her the subtlest friction. The blonde noticed a sudden gush and a tightness there, a familiar ache that begged to be eased.

Lexa broke the kiss and both women gasped at the loss of contact. “Clarke, are you sure this is what you want? Are you sure you are ready? I do not want anything if you are unsure.” The warrior bit her lower lip in hesitation, eyes cast downward. "I will wait for you. As long as you need."

“God, Lexa. Yes, I'm ready. Shut up.” Lexa’s brow furrowed, questioning. “No. I mean. I’ll shut up. But yes. I want this. So much.” The warrior’s forehead relaxed, eyes softening as they met Clarke’s. The sky girl's breath hitched as she met Lexa’s intense stare, swearing those pools of green could swallow her whole and she wouldn’t mind.

The Commander’s imperious façade had broken completely now, her eyes shining with unspoken emotion. She pulled Clarke into a tight hug, her breath ragged at Clarke's ear. “Clarke, I care for you so much. I feared the Ice Queen would find you. That is why I sent out my best scouts. So they could get you back if she tried to take you.”

Clarke whispered soothingly to the warrior. “I’m here now, Lexa. It’s okay. I’m safe.” She captured Lexa's lips in another soft but yearning kiss. The Commander's lips gave way, and Clarke pressed her tongue between them, deepening the kiss. The dark haired girl received her hungrily and emitted an unchecked moan as she captured Clarke’s tongue and sucked greedily. Clarke melted into the warrior’s kiss, her heart pounding, the ache between her legs demanding more attention.

Lexa disengaged suddenly, with a brief flash of a sheepish look and reddening cheeks. “I’m sorry Clarke. Just a moment.”

The Commander’s stoic face reappeared, and the blush receded as if on cue. She strode to the door and spoke to the guards standing just outside. “Take your post at the entrance to my anteroom downstairs. Send someone up to draw a bath. Otherwise no one is allowed in my chambers until I say so.”

Clarke heard a clipped, “Sha, Heda,” followed by the boots of the guards as they descended to the floor below. The Commander turned to Clarke, her authoritative countenance still intact. She took Clarke’s hand drew her towards the door.

“Come with me, Clarke.”

The blonde’s feet complied as if automatically, and she heard her voice respond, “Sha, Heda.”


	2. The Bath

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This is an alternate version of the Clexa reunion starting with 3x02. Rated E for sexytimes in upcoming chapters. No freakout or spitting-on, also no berry-stained dreads. Just the Clexa you want: love, some angst, but without all that pesky rage.
> 
> This is the more rational Clarke we know and love, and she's only been out in the wilderness for weeks instead of months.
> 
> In this chapter Clarke gets the bath she has needed for a while.

“Come with me, Clarke.”

The blonde’s feet complied automatically, and she heard her voice respond, “Sha, Heda.”

The Commander’s fingers interlaced with hers as she led Clarke down a hallway, further into Lexa’s personal chambers. They entered a room that had to be Lexa’s bedroom. It was spare, minimal, much as Clarke had expected it would be. Because she had definitely imagined it several times. A strange, cagelike welded metal chair hung from a chain attached to a ceiling rafter. For a split second Clarke blushed at where her mind went, imagining herself tied to the metal bars as Lexa had her way. Her eyes explored the room further, adjusting to the low candlelight. She was astonished at the stark contrast of Lexa’s bed to everything else in the room, with its intricately carved headboard that housed the glow of several orange candles. The bed itself was covered in furs, soft furs that contradicted the Commander’s hard appearance. Clarke knew Lexa allowed herself few luxuries, but this bed must be Lexa’s one place of respite. She tried not to let herself wonder too much about what other women might have shared this bed with the Commander.

“Wait here, Clarke. I will check on the bath and see if someone has brought food for us. I requested two meals when I got the message of your arrival.” Clarke looked around a little awkwardly, given the furniture choices. Lexa read her uncertainty. “You can sit if you like,” and gestured towards the bed, then turned and left the room.

Clarke had been on the move for so long that the chance to sit, to be still and not worry about the dangers of the forest felt almost foreign to her. The furs gave way underneath her and she sank into them as though into a cloud. Suddenly overtaken by exhaustion, she leaned over to rest her head. The feather pillows were covered in something that she assumed must be silk. It met her cheek with a smoothness she didn’t know existed. She closed her eyes and drifted off for a time.

It felt like seconds later that the Commander entered the room. Clarke started at first, shocked that her sudden waking wasn’t borne of nightmares, for a second having to remind herself that she was no longer in the forest. Lexa carried two plates, a bottle, and two mugs on a tray.

“I thought you might be hungry, Clarke. I expect you did not eat well during the time on your own.” This last comment landed with a tiny quirk of a grin from Lexa. Was that another jab at her Grounder skills? Clarke suddenly didn’t care to respond when she smelled the food. The plates each contained a thick meat stew, a slice of grainy bread, and some steamed vegetables. Suddenly ravenous, the blonde waited impatiently as Lexa made her way carefully towards the bed, not wishing to spill whatever was in the bottle.

“I brought water to drink. I can get us something stronger after dinner if you like.”

Clarke considered her level of exhaustion. “Maybe another time. I think I fell asleep in your bed.”

A soft smile graced the corners of Lexa’s lips as she met Clarke with a kind but piercing gaze. “You are welcome to sleep here some more if you like. It’s quite comfortable.” The brunette’s eyebrows sparked faintly, almost unnoticeably. Clarke realized that the Commander was flirting with her, and the blonde felt her heart go slightly liquid at the edges. She had almost forgotten how charming Lexa could be. Her cheeks warmed again under the other woman’s eyes.

Clarke shot her a purposely coy look. “We’ll see how it goes, Commander.” Lexa’s lips curled once again in another subtle smile. Clarke realized she could get used to seeing this side of the Commander, but hunger got the best of her and she reached for one of the plates and a set of utensils.

***

Clarke set her plate back on the tray. “Everything was delicious. The best meal I’ve had in months. Or maybe ever.”

“I will tell the cook.” Lexa picked up the tray again and carried it over to set it down just outside the door to her room. She rang an unseen bell to call someone to pick it up.

“Would you like a bath, Clarke? I am sure the water is ready by now.”

The blonde suddenly found herself at a loss. “Oh, yeah. Sorry. I probably smell like a sweaty pauna.”

“You don’t, actually. But I understand, Clarke. When I am outside Polis I also have little opportunity for bathing.” Lexa opened a trunk near the bed. “Here are some clothes for you to sleep in and a fresh towel. You will find everything else you need in the bath.”

Clarke stood up. “So how do I find the bath?”

Lexa reached out her hand again. And smiled her tiny smile again. “I’ll show you.” Clarke’s heart beat a little faster when she felt the Commander's fingers brush hers.

Clarke had never seen such a large bathroom. It was outfitted with a wood stove for heating water and keeping the place warm. Hand woven rugs adorned the stone floor. A basin sat on a counter in the corner. In the center stood a large, slightly beat-up footed white bathtub like those Clarke had seen in old films back on the Ark. Before coming to the ground, she had always wondered how anyone could’ve had enough space or water to devote to something so perfunctory as bathing. Her brain still sometimes had a hard time wrapping itself around the sheer amount of room and resources the Earth offered. It still felt decadent, even just being outside in the endless green of the forest, much less in such a luxurious room.

Lexa walked over and dipped her hand in the tub. Faint steam rose off the water. “It’s ready. I will excuse myself.” She turned to leave the room.

“Wait,” Clarke found herself saying. “You don’t have to go.”

Lexa wheeled back around. “Clarke, I…” The Commander at a loss for words? “I did not wish to be… improper. We have not…”

“It’s okay. You can turn around if you feel uncomfortable.”

Lexa pulled up a low stool from near the basin, turned around, and sat with her back to Clarke. “I am not uncomfortable. I simply did not wish to presume. We have not been… intimate.”

“Sure, Commander. But it’s just as well, really. I doubt you want to see me covered in this much dirt.”

Clarke had begun stripping off her clothes, a little aghast at the layered trails of dust and sweat that had mixed and settled into her skin under her clothes. She reached for a cloth and wetted it in the bath, hoping to wipe off some of the grime before getting in. She managed to remove a good half of it before stepping into the tub.

“Oh, uh, wow. This is really warm.” She stood in the tub for a bit before lowering herself carefully into the water. The feeling of being submerged was still somewhat foreign to Clarke, but being enveloped by such warmth eased her tired muscles in a way she never experienced before. She let out an involuntary moan and allowed herself to lay back and soak for a while before availing herself of the bath items perched on a board shelf that spanned the tub. The Commander emitted a heavy breath in response to Clarke’s moan. The blonde smiled to herself as she sank further into the water. She had never felt so at ease.

***

Clarke felt a hand on her shoulder and a muffled voice reached her ears. She shot upright in the bath, which had grown noticeably less warm. She sputtered for breath. “Clarke, you’re lucky I turned around when you got quiet. I heard you slip under water.”

Clarke wiped the excess water from her face and peered up at Lexa. “I must have drifted off. Thank you.” Her heart sped up again, this time in belated alarm. She caught Lexa’s eyes lingering at her breasts, which were above the water level after she sat bolt upright. The Commander averted her gaze.

“Oh, please. You’re already here. Can you scrub my back?” Clarke leaned forward to grab a loofah and some greenish brown soap that smelled like pine resin. She dunked them in the water and handed them to Lexa, then leaned forward to expose her back.

“What are those scars on your shoulder, Clarke? They look like claw marks. Barely healed.”

“I might have had a close call with a panther.” She winced a little as Lexa gently traced the scars with a finger. Lexa took her hand away. “Sorry, it still hurts a little. But you should see the cat. He got the worst of it.”

“You killed a panther?” Lexa rubbed soap on the loofah and began gently scrubbing Clarke’s back, avoiding the scars. The blonde let out a low hum.

“Yes? I mean, it was either that or, you know, die.”

“Perhaps I misjudged your skills in that case.” Lexa’s fingers followed after the loofah, gently splashing water onto Clarke to rinse off the soap. Clarke smiled as she rested her chin on her knees and breathed out an audible sigh. “I am glad your spirit stayed where it is, Clarke.”

The sky girl smiled up at Lexa, her arms still resting on her knees and covering her breasts. The Commander of the Twelve Clans blushed – blushed! – and averted her eyes as Clarke moved to reach what looked like shampoo in an antique glass bottle. Lexa returned to her former seat, facing away from Clarke. A gentle bubble of laughter tickled Clarke’s throat for the first time in months. “So gallant, Commander.”

“I prefer to wait, Clarke. I do not wish to take any liberties with you until we are both…”

“Naked?”

“Clarke, I take whatever this is we have seriously.” Lexa exhaled heavily. “I wish to make sure it is right before things move further.”

“That’s fair.” Clarke got out of the bath and began drying off with the towel Lexa had given her, enjoying its roughened texture. “I have a history of not making sure it's right first. But I want you to know I don’t take this lightly.”

Lexa waited a moment before responding. “I know, Clarke. I know you well enough to know that. But I also know you have been very angry with me.”

“And I told you I understand why you had to do what you did.” Clarke put on the thin cotton T-shirt and loose shorts Lexa had provided.

“Yes, and I thank you for that.” Lexa’s voice grew very faintly shaky. “But I have only been with one other person. She was very special to me.” Her breath shuddered tangibly. “You are special to me. I cannot lose you too. Not after...” She got up suddenly, still facing away.

“It’s okay, Lexa. I’m decent now.”

The brunette turned back around, the Commander’s mask having slipped more completely than Clarke had ever witnessed before. Lexa’s eyes shone with unshed tears. She looked for all the world like the young woman she truly was underneath her armor, suddenly small. Vulnerable. Clarke felt a shiver at the love and heartache she saw in those wide green eyes.

Lexa’s lower lip quivered in a clear attempt to remain composed, “Clarke, I have said the decision I made at the Mountain was the right one, and I stand by that. But turning from you and walking away after watching your heart break was the hardest thing I have ever had to do. It was horrible in a different way from learning of Costia’s death. Because with you I had be the one to walk away. Costia was taken from me. I had no choice with her. And I knew you might not survive either. And it would be my fault if you didn’t.”

Lexa looked away from Clarke, ashamed of the tears that she could not hold back. Clarke moved next to her and placed her hand on Lexa’s upper arm, turning the other girl to face her.

“I know, Lexa. It took a lot of soul searching on my part, but I remember your face when you told me about the deal. I came to see that you had no choice. You said it yourself. You had to make that decision with your head, not with your heart. I had already seen what was in your heart. As much as I wanted to stay angry at you, I couldn’t. I know you.” She took Lexa in her arms. Lexa placed her head on Clarke's sholder and shook with the sobs she had attempted to hold back.

“It’s okay, Lexa. I’m here now. Thank you for trusting me this much. I know how hard that is for you.” Clarke held her and ran her hand soothingly down Lexa’s back.

Lexa moved back to look at Clarke intently. “Do you remember the last time you said that?”

“Yes.” Clarke thought of the kiss and the all too brief moment of vulnerability they had shared at TonDC before the signal that began the battle for the Mountain. “I said that life should be about more than just surviving.”

“You were right, Clarke. I want to survive. For you.”

Lexa moved haltingly to kiss Clarke, and the blonde closed the distance, taking Lexa’s lower lip between herown, sucking gently and letting her tongue dance over it before slowly pulling away and looking Lexa in the eye. “Can I share your bed with you tonight? I want to hold you while you fall asleep.”

Lexa’s eyes glimmered in the low light. “Yes, Clarke. Thank you. You honor me.”

***

Clarke sank into the furs and forced herself to stay awake until Lexa joined her, listening as the brunette busied herself around the room, putting on her loose nightgown and blowing out candles. Clarke held up the top fur for Lexa to slide in next to her. Lexa kissed Clarke on the cheek and snuggled in beside her, resting on her side with her head on Clarke’s shoulder. The blonde drew her arms around Lexa and soothed her by rubbing her back until she heard the girl’s breathing slow. Clarke fell asleep, the safest she had felt in any time she could remember.


	3. Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> They get snuggly and go to sleep, but Clarke has a nightmare. The two women share some of their personal histories. A reference to the movie & book Carol is made. Lol. I know.

Chapter 3 - Nightmares

The blonde drew her arms around Lexa and soothed her by rubbing her back until she heard the commander’s breathing slow. Clarke fell asleep, the safest she had felt in any time she could remember.

***

Unaware of how little or much time had passed, the sky girl awoke suddenly sitting upright in bed, her breath coming fast and shallow. She looked around, realizing where she was. Lexa stirred next to her.

“Clarke, what happened?”

“I had a nightmare. I get them a lot. I haven’t slept a full night since Mt. Weather. Not more than a couple of hours really.”

Lexa sat up next to Clarke, placing a hand gently on Clarke’s leg. “It’s okay. You’re safe. I get them too sometimes, you know. Some of mine are warnings.”

“Warnings? How do you figure that?”

Lexa exhaled pensively. “That’s for another time.” She reached out and massaged the back of Clarke’s neck. “The nightmares. What do you see?”

Clarke’s shoulders tensed, but then she exhaled and consciously dropped them, muscles relaxing thanks to Lexa’s calming touch. “You know what it’s like to send people to their deaths, or kill them yourself. We’re the same, like you said. But what I did haunts me, Lexa. I keep seeing their faces burning from the radiation. Kids, Lexa. Innocent people. How do you handle it?”

“I don’t have a good answer, but I do know what you are feeling, Clarke.” The blonde turned around to face Lexa, whose eyes glistened in the low light of a few candles. “I see Gustus in my dreams now. I always hear his last words, ‘Ste yuj.’ Stay strong.” Lexa exhaled heavily. “But I am weak, Clarke.”

“That’s just not true, Lexa. You’re the strongest person I’ve ever met.” Clarke reached up and grasped reassuringly onto Lexa’s muscular upper arm. “Having feelings is not weakness.”

“He would not want me to regret what I did. He acted according to his concerns about the truce. And I had to act according to our laws. I did what had to be done. But I miss him. He and Anya were the closest I had to family.” Lexa turned to sit on the edge of the bed, putting her head in her hands. “At least I still have Indra. Titus doesn’t count. I wish to replace him.”

“You have me,” Clarke whispered as she moved to sit closer to Lexa. “Our life on the Ark was no less brutal than your laws here. Floating people was just less messy, but it wasn’t any less cruel. Our ways are harsh too.  I thought about that while I was out in the woods. It was how we survived too. Our people are not that different.”

“Clarke, I want to live in a world where killing is not the first response. That’s what I hoped to do when I united the clans. But keeping a Coalition together is difficult. They fight like children over small matters. The Ice Nation will never be content as just another clan. They want to take over.”

“Lexa, I want to live in that world too. And I know it’s possible.” Clarke lay back down and held her arms out to the brunette.

“I don’t wish to think about politics right now if I have any hope of going back to sleep.” Lexa moved to join her. “Tell me about the sky, Clarke.”

“There’s not much to tell, really. All the conjoined stations were pretty big if you tried to walk from one end to the other, but there were so many people, the living space was cramped. My mom was the head doctor and a Council member, so we had a little more space than some families.”

Lexa’s breathing began to slow. “We had a main eating and living room, and my mom and dad a small bedroom, and I had even smaller sleeping quarters.” Clarke paused to look down at Lexa’s face, now growing peaceful again. “We didn’t have unlimited supplies of clothing and other goods, so it was kind of like here. Items were used, reused, repurposed, and then recycled if they wore out. When someone died, their possessions went to a Redistribution Center. My shirt was someone else’s before it was mine.”

“The gray shirt, made of knit fabric?” Lexa’s eyes had started to droop but perked for a second.

“Yes.”

Lexa’s eyelids fluttered. She mumbled almost inaudibly, “It’s quite flattering… and distra..ct…”

Clarke smiled into Lexa’s hair and caught the faint scent of the herbal shampoo she had used earlier in the bath. She listened to Lexa’s rhythmic breathing until she too fell asleep.

***

The blonde woke to the sound of Lexa dressing and moving about the room. She squinted at the daylight coming through the windows. Lexa came over to sit by her on the bed. “Good morning, Clarke.”

Clarke groaned as she opened her eyes wider and rolled over to face Lexa. “You look chipper this morning.”

“Chipper?”

A smile played at the edges of Clarke’s lips. “Yes, you know. Awake, alert, even a little happy.”

“Yes, I suppose I am… chipper, then. Your presence is comforting, Clarke. I have not slept that deeply in months.”

Clarke reached to place her hand on Lexa’s. “Me neither. Thank you for sitting up with me after the nightmares. Sorry I woke you up.”

“We are good together, Clarke. I mean personally but also as allies. What if we could convince the Skaikru to become the thirteenth clan? My armies could protect your people. You could be the Skaikru ambassador and live here in Polis.”

“Uh. Wow, you just said a lot for first thing in the morning.” Clark lay there for a few seconds to get her bearings. She sat up next to Lexa. “I don’t know if we can convince my people to join the Coalition. But I like the idea of serving my people while staying here with you.”

“We can discuss details later. I have a meeting with my generals this morning to get reports from the outer territories, but I have no other pressing matters.” She smiled her half smile at Clarke. “I would like to show you the city and take you to my favorite place.”

“I like the sound of that.” Clarke leaned her head on Lexa’s shoulder. Lexa stiffened for a fraction of a second and then relaxed, placing her arm around Clarke’s back.

“You may stay here and get ready at your leisure. I will have breakfast brought to you.” Clarke sat back upright and placed a kiss on Lexa’s cheek. The Commander blushed faintly.

“Heda, you’re blushing.” At that Lexa grew redder.

“Clarke, I am used to waiting to feel my emotions in private where no one can see my weakness. But I cannot hide my feelings from you.” The Commander took a deliberate breath. “This is very new for me. It has been a very long time since I had someone who would not judge me harshly for showing emotions. People believe that Heda is not human.”

“I see you, Lexa. You don’t have to hide anything from me.” Clarke kissed Lexa’s cheek again and squeezed her hand. “I know you’re human.”

Lexa met her gaze, eyes suddenly serious, piercing. “I thank you for that, Clarke. It’s part of why I feel so drawn to you.”

Clarke leaned towards toward her, brushing their lips together. Lexa did not stiffen this time. Instead, she softened quickly into the kiss, her lips grasping Clarke’s lower lip and pulling gently. Lexa’s breath grew shallow, restless, and she grasped the blonde firmly about the waist.

The sky girl pulled back gently, slowly, smiling into Lexa’s green eyes. “I believe you have a meeting, Commander.”

Lexa gasped faintly. “Yes, of course. I have to go. I will be back before noon. You may read my books if you like. Or what do you like to do, Clarke? We never got to that, did we?”

“I like to draw. But I haven’t in a long time.”

The corners of Lexa’s lips curved upward. “We will find you art supplies when I show you the city today.” She grasped Clarke’s hand, brought it up to her lips for a soft kiss. This time it was Clarke’s turn to blush.

***

A handmaiden had brought up a breakfast of fruit, toasted bread, some kind of nut spread, and a fragrant hot tea. Again, Clarke could not remember having had a breakfast that tasted so good. She dressed in some clothes Lexa had left for her, a kind of tunic shirt in green and a pair of buckskin pants. Lexa’s books comprised a random assortment of titles that happened to survive the bombs, Clarke supposed. She chose a frayed hardback edition of _Contact_ , a novel by a twentieth-century scientist named Sagan. She had heard of him before because one of the radio telescopes on the Ark bore his name. Clarke found herself identifying with the feisty, opinionated protagonist Ellen Arraway. She had gotten about a quarter of the way through the book when Lexa returned.

Clarke heard a knock at the door. “Who is it?” She made her way towards the door.

She heard Lexa’s voice. “It’s me.”

“You don’t have to knock at your own door.” Clarke gave her quizzical look.

“I wish to respect your privacy, Clarke.”

“Privacy. Huh.” The blonde rolled the concept around in her head for a few seconds. “There was no such thing as privacy on the Ark. Especially in lockup.”

“Why were you imprisoned, Clarke?” The Commander sat down on the bed next to her.

“Well, there’s no air in space.”

“I know, Clarke. I have books, remember?” Her eyes darted to Clarke’s for a moment, almost playfully.

“I’m sorry. Of course.” The blonde offered her an apologetic look. “I found out from my dad that the air systems on the Ark were failing, that the Council was going to float three hundred people to conserve the air and buy some time. He wanted to tell everyone so they could all take part in deciding their own fate. I tried to help him, but we got caught.”

Clarke cast her gaze downward, her heart still wrenching at the memory. Especially here feeling so comfortable and vulnerable with Lexa, it was hard to hold back. She drew a hard breath that shuddered its way out of her lungs.

“They floated him. They threw me into lockup because I wasn’t of age yet. My mom could do nothing to stop it. The laws were the laws. They were supposed to help us survive.” Her voice took on an edge at the thought of her time in the cells. “I was in solitary confinement for most of that time. I had no one, and I was just waiting to die when I turned eighteen.”

Lexa whispered, pulling Clarke’s head onto her shoulders. “But instead you came down here. Flung out of space.”

Clarke repeated. “Flung out of space." She puzzled for a moment. "That’s from an old movie. A really good one. How can you see films without machines?”

“It was a book too. A romance book. Titus would have punished me if he had found it. Indulging weakness, he would call it.” Clarke heard the smile in Lexa’s voice as she leaned her head on the Commander’s shoulder. “Costia and I read it to each other. She borrowed it from her cousin.”

Lexa moved suddenly to stand up. “Please, Clarke. Let us not weigh ourselves down with memories. I wish to show you Polis.” She extended her hand to help Clarke off the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it took me so long to get back to this - had to grieve after 307 & couldn't bring myself to write Clexa. But I'm back now. Yay!

**Author's Note:**

> My 2nd ever fanfic. I guess this is a thing I do now.


End file.
